


Protect Him

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: McHanzo [17]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Blood and Injury, Desperation, Established Relationship, M/M, Missions Gone Wrong, Serious Injuries, Trust, Ultimate Swap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-17 05:41:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16510418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: When a mission goes awry leaving them injured and trapped it calls for desperate measures.





	Protect Him

   McCree was cursing up a storm as he hauled Hanzo into the relative safety of one of the outbuildings, already knowing that it wouldn’t be able to protect them for long as he heard another alarm going off in the distance, but it would have to do for the time beings. Beggars couldn’t be choosers and all that, and right now he needed what he could get. His shoulder was on fire and when he rotated it slightly he could feel the bullet shifting under the skin, and he scowled, biting back a curse. He needed medical attention and soon because there was little he could do about the bleeding right now, and he had no way of digging the bullet out himself. However, the pain was nothing in comparison to the terror that gripped him as he carefully lowered Hanzo to the ground, leaning him back against the wall, so that he could see his face, and immediately regretting it.

    Hanzo’s eyes are little more than slits at the moment and its clear that he’s struggling to keep them open even that much, his gaze unfocused and roaming, leaving McCree with the sinking feeling that it won’t take much more to send his partner spiralling down into darkness. Something that McCree knows instinctively and from experience is a bad idea right now, his eyes darting down to the blood staining the side of Hanzo’s chest, lingering there for a moment before moving back up to the nasty gash by his temple and the numerous other cuts and bruises littering the archer’s skin. _He’s a mess…_

“Hanzo? Hanzo stay awake!” He makes no effort to hide his fear and concern as he moved closer, crouching in front of Hanzo and reaching out with his uninjured arm to gently shake the archer, mindful as he can be of his injuries. At first there is no response, Hanzo’s gaze drifting beyond him, as though McCree didn’t exist, and McCree could feel his fear shifting towards panic as he realised that Hanzo’s eyes were beginning to close, his head starting to slump forward. “Hanzo, please don’t do this,” he pleaded, swallowing thickly around the lump that had risen in the back of his throat. He wouldn’t beg for anyone else, but the words were out before he could even think about them and he couldn’t regret then, his eyes stinging as he waited desperately for a response, praying that his words would reach Hanzo.

     It was another couple of minutes before he finally got a response, Hanzo stirring weakly, groaning as the movement jostled his wounds and no doubts sends pain lancing though his body. Still, his eyes are creeping open and this time they focus on McCree, and he can’t stop the relieved smile that creeps across his face at the sight. “Hey there, partner.”

“Hey yourself,” Hanzo whispers, but there’s enough of a delay to show that he’s still not fully with McCree, as does the way that his gaze wanders once more as he takes in the building they’re hiding in, confusion settling over his features. “What happened…?”

“Intel was wrong, and we’ve just had our asses handed to us,” McCree replied, flippant in his relief, but he sobered up as pain flickered across Hanzo’s face, the stubborn idiot trying to push himself back up and McCree hastily moved to push him back. Unfortunately, in his rush to stop Hanzo he had forgotten about his own injury, and he was unable to hold back a hiss of pain as the movement tugged on it. “It’s nothing,” he murmured hastily, trying to reassure Hanzo when the archer’s attention immediately focused on him, but it didn’t sound convincing even to him and he wasn’t surprised when Hanzo glared at him, and he ducked his head with a sigh of defeat. If there was a way to hold out against that look he hadn’t found it yet. “I was shot getting us of there and the bullet is still in there.”

“I think you have a strange definition of ‘nothing’…”

“Compared to a guy who just took a swan dive off a building, my shoulder is nothing,” McCree pointed out defensively, his tone far harsher than he’d intended, but he can’t shake the memory of watching Hanzo fall when his perch had been blown out from beneath him. It had only been pure luck that had saved the archer, well that and the pile of supplies that had broken his fall, but he didn’t want to imagine just how much damage was hidden beneath the surface. He also didn’t want to think about how much damage he might have caused by moving Hanzo, not that he’d had much choice with Talon agents bearing down on them from all directions. Hurt was better than dead, although he’s fairly sure that he’s going to be in for one hell of a lecture when Angela gets her hands on them, but that’s only if they manage to get out of this alive. It’s a big if right now, and he can’t hide his concern as he lifts his head, attention shifting back to Hanzo who is clearly trying to put on a brave face as he meets his gaze.

“I’m…”

“If you say, ‘I’m fine’, then I’ll kill you myself,” McCree warns, cutting him off, earning an offended glare from Hanzo. However, the fact that he doesn’t finish what he was about to say speaks volumes, and McCree growled under his breath, but now wasn’t the time to work on the archer’s lack of self-preservation because he can hear voices outside and he immediately tenses. His communicator was still silent which meant that it was unlikely to be the rest of their team, which left Talon…and he cursed, because neither of them were in any state to fight and he was fairly sure that he was down to his last two bullets, not that he’d had chance to check…and Hanzo. The archer had caught onto his tension, his eyes flickering to the door, trepidation in every line of his face before he turned back to McCree.

“Give me my bow.” McCree grimaced at the request. He’d been hoping to have more time before having to break this particular bit of bad news, but his expression must’ve given him away because Hanzo shrank back, swallowing thickly before he asked softly. “Where’s my bow…?”

“It didn’t survive the fall…” There was grief in the whispered confession because McCree knew how much the bow had meant to Hanzo, had seen him treat it with more reverence than he would ever show himself.

     Hanzo swallowed and closed his eyes, unable to bear the thought of seeing the pity in his partner’s eyes. It was only a weapon, and yet it had been so much more. The bow had saved his life more times than he could count, and hearing that it had been destroyed, felt like he had just been told that he had lost an old friend. He wasn’t given long to dwell on his grief, the sound of the door bursting open dragging him out of his thoughts and his eyes flew open just in time to see McCree rising, moving forwards to protect him, only to stumble as his injury catches up to him. Hanzo didn’t think about it, lunging towards him, a desperate, gasping cry escaping as pain swept through him. He could barely see, shadows rushing across his vision, but he could still make out the red of McCree’s serape and he used it as a guidepost, latching onto it with shaking fingers as soon as he was within reach.

“You gun…” Hanzo’s not even sure if the words have come out correctly, it’s hard to hear…hard to see… but he makes out something that could have been agreement from McCree, and he feels his partner’s arm rising as he feels his way along it, relying on touch alone as his eyes continue to fail him. He’s not even sure if his idea is going to work, he’s never tried to summon the dragons with anything but his own weapon, his sword when he had been younger and then Stormbow ever since, and both weapons had been forged to bear that burden. Peacekeeper wasn’t. But the dragons love McCree as much as he does, and it’s the only reason why he dares hope that it might work, the only reason why he’s willing to risk this as he let’s his head fall against McCree’s shoulder. “Shoot…”

“Hanzo, what are you…?”

“Shoot.” Hanzo knows that he should explain what he has in mind, but he’s struggling to focus now and there is time, as he can just make out movement in the doorway and he can hear weapons being cocked and knows without needing to see them that they’re being aimed at them. There isn’t time, and it’s a measure of how much McCree has come to trust him that he feels the cool metal of the gunslinger’s other hand coming to rest on top of his and he grips McCree’s wrist, a gentle squeeze the only warning he gets before he hears the familiar retort of Peacekeeper firing. “Ryuu ga waga teki wo kurau…” His voice cracks in the middle of the familiar call, the world fading around him…. _please, please answer the call… please protect McCree…_

He’s falling now, spiralling downwards into darkness, but just before the world disappears completely he can feel the tingle of the dragoons stirring beneath his skin. Answering his call. There are tears of relief in the corners of his eyes as he feels himself falling back, and this time he allows himself to let go, because McCree is going to be safe and that is all that matters.

_Thank you…for protecting him…_


End file.
